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Tuesday, June 19, 2007

KL Flooding - Wrong about 30% Obstruction!

I hope you are not getting bored to tears with my ongoing tilt about the primary cause of flooding in the heart of KL.Readers will know that I have been going on about the Masjid Jamek LRT station being a major problem as it was built inside the river profile.

I don't know where this station is but there is an excellent blog entry fromKenny Ng's blog and I hope he does not mind me posting the photos here.

I mentioned that about 30% of the river flow would be obstructed but if you study the photos carefully, let us make the following assumptions:

1.the depth of the water flowing is as large as the width of the narow section2.the reserve(no water) width is twice as wide as the flowing channel.3.the height of the wider section to the flood level is two-thirds the width.

So let's say the width and depth of the normal flow channel is 3a times 3athe spare capacity is then 9a times 2a giving a total of 9a2 plus 18a2 or a total of 27a2.

With the construction of the station inside the river, at least 50% of the reserve has been removed and the river capacity becomes 9a2 plus 9a2 or 18a2 that is a 35% capacity reduction.If you look at the centre below the station you can make out a column built right in the centre of the span and that alone will be a major collecting point for all the rubbish in the river. Is this an example of world class infrastructure? It would qualify in the GBOR as a case of supreme studity!

I wonder how many stations have been built inside the rivers like the photo shown. I estimate perhaps up to six and probably connected with only one of the three systems as usually some bright spark will always try and cut costs. The DID should know but they are keeping very quiet.

The second composite photo shows a series of columns built along the reserve of the river. These are not as serious as the station in the river but will also reduce the water flow as rubbish will build up around the columns.

I suggest the authorities come up with a better plan to reduce the flooding rather than build more retention ponds and pumping stations as pumps in Malaysia have that habit of not working when you need them most.

Any LRT station as shown should be demolished and replaced so that the base is clear of the river profile and NO columns allowed in the river.A rubbish removal system to be installed north of the series of columns in the river so that rubbish does not build up.

1 comment:

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I Support the Government's Decision The Government has made a major blunder with secret Toll Agreements The Public Have Been Cheated and Disclosure will Anger the Citizens The OSA have been Abused to Favour Government Cronies. Toll Agreements should be made public